12 gym etiquette no-no’s

There will always be people who don’t seem to follow the written—or unwritten—“rules of the road” when it comes to exercising in a public place such as a health and fitness center.

You submitted your list of gym pet-peeves, and from that we put together a little list of no-no’s. The following is a compilation of quotes from a recent discussion about what bothers you the most when you’re working out. At the end, vote on which offense irks you the most and continue the conversation.

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Talking on your cellphone

ArtVandelay421 said: “I must have missed this one... when exactly did cellphones become standard equipment at the gym. If I don’t hear the phrase ‘you are in the emergency room’ or ‘I’ll come bail you out,’ keep it at home.” Anavidreader said: “Off-task behavior. I say work out or get out! :). Standing around talking, resting on equipment and using a cellphone. Loud conversations are the worst.”
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Not wiping down equipment

vtsummers said: “people who sweat ALL OVER A MACHINE, and don’t wipe it down—that’s just NASTY.”

Ladybugfive said: “People not wiping down machines after they use them. (Note to those who do that, especially when all sweaty: Some day you’ll do that and the person who notices will be someone you wanted to impress and they’ll think you’re gross and inconsiderate.)”
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Lounging on equipment

Grimalkin said: “People who sit and lounge around on weight machines. Some people take inordinately long ‘rests’ between sets and seem oblivious to the fact that people are waiting.”

Jim501 said: “Go to a bar if all you want to do is talk. I go to the gym to work out, so if you just want to talk go stand somewhere, don’t sit on the equipment.”

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Leaving broken equipment

Secretary said: “Broken equipment. Fix it, it shouldn’t be out of service for more than 2-3 days, depending upon when the part is arriving.”

Toolio said: “Gyms that don’t get the equipment serviced when the ellipticals start to squeak or the treadmills start to pound.”

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Wearing inappropriate clothing

WhatDoYouWantNow said: “No need to wear skimpy or skin-tight clothing in a gym... it’s not like you are concerned about aerodynamics on that bench. But if you’re going to wear it, you’re inviting stares. Just like if you wear a bikini to the beach.”

PFlaherty10 said: “Some of the outfits on both men and women are a bit much (or not really that much). I go to the gym to get myself in better shape and not to oogle over the kind of shape others are in—a little modesty goes a long way.”

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Grunting/making unnecessary noises

KFitz422 said: “Volume does not correlate to dead lift strength.”

Ennio said: “When people SLAM! down the weights accompanied by massive GRUNTING! in an effort to alert those around them how much they’re capable of lifting.”
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Blaring music

Bara922 said: “People who have the volume up way too loud on their music players and might as well just buy a boombox. As a general rule, if you hold out the earphone at arms length and can hear it, you need to turn it down. But there’s some solace in knowing they’ll be losing their hearing in 20 years.”

Joecadillac said: “Blaring music drives me absolutely crazy. People who want music should be able to listen to their own chosen songs on their own headphones without blowing out an eardrum.”
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Getting too close

JillyADeSo: “When there are 5 machines on either side of you and someone big, sweaty and stinky has to saddle up right next to you.”

ArtVandelay421 said: “The person who is so... regimented they “must” work out on the machine you are on because it is written from above that you must work out on that machine in this order, even though fifty other machines are open...”

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Letting your children play on or with equipment

asimplename said: “Parents who bring their children to the gym and then let them run wild ‘testing’ various cardio machines for a few minutes at a time before they move on to something else.”
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Dousing yourself in perfume, cologne

Babsred2 said: “I hate having my lungs wide open in a very intense cardio workout and then someone with too much fragrance on comes along and I can’t freaking breathe and get an instant headache.”

Boodah said: “If I’m gulping air on the machine next to you because I’m sprinting, I don’t really want to choke on your awesome effluvia.”

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Going to the gym sick

Kaberdude: “Sneezing, coughing, MRSA-ladden people, who should be at home.”
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Slamming/dropping weights

melhernan said: “When people throw their weights on the ground and sometimes break them.”
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